Award Winners in 2008

At its annual meeting at GA, UUSC honored three inspiring activists and four outstanding local representatives for their contributions to promoting human rights around the world.

Social Action Leadership Award

The Social Action Leadership Award was established in 1977 to honor creative, inspiring, and effective leadership by an individual or group working for justice in cooperation with UUSC. Honored this year was the Rob Robinson, of Jefferson Unitarian Congregation, Colo.

Since December 2006, Rob Robinson has volunteered as an expert advisor to UUSC's Environmental Justice Program, enlisting his decades of experience relating to mining to assess the impact of a local gold mine on the water, health, and livelihoods of local communities. When Robinson traveled with UUSC staff to Sipakapa, Guatemala, in April 2007, he helped to train teams in the Sipakapense community to monitor the negative effects of mining on their water resources. This year, at the request of UUSC's partner in the region, Robinson organized a team of volunteer experts to visit Guatemala to investigate and document the damage being caused to homes likely as a result of mine blasting in the area.

» Read more about Rob Robinson in an issue of our newsletter Rights Now.

Mary-Ella Holst Youth Activist Award

Raziq George Brown, of Texas, was awarded the 2008 Mary-Ella Holst Youth Activist Award. This award is given annually to recognize and honor the achievements of an individual (or group of youth) who is/are advancing human rights and social justice through activism and leadership in collaboration with UUSC.

Raziq Brown is a renaissance man, with a budding film and photography career and a deep understanding of the intersections of oppression and justice-making. He has taught religious education, led youth groups, and organized conferences. His interests and talents cover a broad range of creative arts, which he uses to raise awareness of human rights and advance social-justice issues. In February 2007, when UUSC and the Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU) co-sponsored the Youth Social Justice Training in New Orleans, Brown trained 50 youth participants on how to use the media for human-rights activism. He is also working on a documentary film about organizations in New Orleans that are helping people return to the Gulf Coast. Brown also participated in the May 2007 UUSC fact-finding mission to Ecuador exploring water rights.

» Read more about Raziq Brown.

Seminarian Award for Excellence in Social Justice

Honored this year with the second annual Seminarian Award for Excellence in Social Justice was Seanan Holland and the Great Lakes Military Ministry Project. The Seminarian Award recognizes and honors the exemplary work of a seminarian who advances the mission of UUSC by linking and integrating the work of UUSC with the Principles and Purposes of the UUA and the spiritual lives of UUs.

A residential student at Meadville Lombard Theological School, Holland is currently preparing for Unitarian Universalist ministry, with plans to serve as a Navy chaplain. His path toward UU ministry began when he returned from Iraq, where he served as a helicopter pilot. Holland's faith and military experience, which continuously inform each other, are foundational to the understanding and compassion he is able to offer young recruits at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. Together with other UU chaplains, Seanan has been instrumental in creating interfaith worship services at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in a project known as the Great Lakes Military Ministry Project. Seanan has also helped train over 12 UU worship associates to assist in the ever-growing project.

Outstanding local representatives

The outstanding local representatives named for 2008 were:

• Nancy Doyle, Murray UU Church, Attleboro, Mass.
• Judy Ottman, White Bear UU Church, Mahtomedi, Minn
• Bobby Robinson, First Parish, Wayland, Mass.
• Patricia Wellington and Rosemary Hagen, UU Congregation, Venice, Fla.

» Read more about UUSC's Outstanding Local Representatives.